Renal candidiasis in the rat: effects of ureteral obstruction and diabetes.

The effect of ureteral obstruction on the course of renal candidiasis in a rat model was studied, using both normal and diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats, and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin injection 1 week prior to inoculation and transabdominal ligation of the left ureter. On day 9 post inoculation, mean titers of Candida were similar in right and left kidneys of obstructed rats. Mean left renal titers for obstructed and control rats were similar (log10 2.68 CFU/g +/- 0.73 (SE) vs. log10 2.21 +/- 0.09, P greater than 0.01). Diabetes produced higher renal titers of Candida, regardless of the presence of ureteral obstruction (log10 5.74 CFU/g +/- 0.57 (SE) vs. log10 2.21 +/- 0.09, P less than 0.01). Animals treated for one week with amphotericin B showed a marked difference in Candida titers between obstructed and control animals (log10 4.14 CFU/g +/- 0.45 (SE) vs. 1.57 +/- 0.38) for both kidneys, and between obstructed and nonobstructed kidneys in the same animals.